May 06 2014
Which episodes you 'must' watch to catch up on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..
The author maintains that several episodes may be skipped if you're trying to quickly catch up on the show. Do you agree?
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libradude | May 06, 17:12 CET
Meh episodes or not. I mean maybe there are one or two but I didn't think any one episode was so bad or offered nothing at all.
[ edited by TenTonParasol on 2014-05-07 02:20 ]
TenTonParasol | May 06, 17:19 CET
libradude | May 06, 17:23 CET
Same goes for others, but that's the one that immediately came to mind.
javelina | May 06, 17:40 CET
madmolly | May 06, 18:45 CET
PaperSpock | May 06, 18:59 CET
libradude | May 06, 19:48 CET
Darkness | May 06, 19:58 CET
Beth | May 06, 21:00 CET
So making a "quick list" is good for those who want to know what's happening, get a feel for the show before watching the finale. I agree, it's not the ideal solution, but it's helpful.
There are only two episodes missing from that list that I would include: "Girl in the Flower Dress" and "Seeds."
alliterator | May 06, 21:13 CET
libradude | May 06, 21:29 CET
libradude | May 06, 21:43 CET
samatwitch | May 06, 21:47 CET
So while some episodes, like "The Hub," do provide extra context for that mytharc, the overall story of "The Hub" doesn't provide any needed information.
Think about this: The X-Files was divided up into "Monster of the Week" episodes and "Mytharc" episodes. You could skip a MotW episode most of the time and still know what was going on. Similarly, you could skip some episodes of AoS and still know what's going on. They provide extra context, but if you just want to know the essentials, they are not needed.
And people may not have watched AoS at first because they heard that it was slow or disappointing, but now that it's picked up and they've heard it's gotten better, they may want to see it. Hence: the list.
[ edited by alliterator on 2014-05-07 07:29 ]
alliterator | May 06, 22:25 CET
QingTing | May 06, 23:48 CET
[ edited by Penthos on 2014-05-07 13:53 ]
Penthos | May 07, 04:53 CET
It's the same situation here. The writers intended these episodes to be watched in order. So yes, they were 'meant' to be watched one after the other. You're making it sound like the episodes not included on this list don't add anything to the story or character development. In truth, every episode does. Even the seemingly 'standalone' episodes provide essential character development and often include plot seeds for future storylines (example: the gravitonium episode where we see a new villain that will almost certainly appear again).
libradude | May 07, 06:28 CET
For instance, in FZZT, Fitz is feeling inferior and helpless because he didn't jump off the plane for Simmons. Ward, the ever-present hero, did. Then, he has a chance to make progress and feel confident in his abilities in The Hub.
A few episodes later, you get Seeds. It's important to watch Seeds just to understand how difficult it was for Fitz to find a friend and to feel like he belonged somewhere. This is what helps you fully understand where Fitz is really coming from when he says to Ward, "we're friends, aren't we?"
The story of the week in each episode is not vital to the overall mythology of the show, but the focus on these small moments gives texture and context for the characters' feelings.
the ninja report | May 07, 06:38 CET
This alternative is still better than if people completely ignore the show. Basically, the whole format of stand-alone episodes exist and is being used in TV shows in order for them to be more accessible to the casual viewers, who are expected not to watch every single episode, but nevertheless are still valued. Why shouldn't the 'best of' binge watchers be valued, or at least welcomed, as well?
Anuris | May 07, 08:10 CET
VisionGirl | May 07, 08:49 CET
libradude | May 07, 10:06 CET
Now, the fact that they are standalones doesn't mean they are BAD. They are all quite GOOD. But if you wanted to see one episode, you wouldn't need to see any others.
alliterator | May 07, 11:01 CET
the ninja report | May 07, 11:22 CET
libradude | May 07, 13:24 CET
madmolly | May 07, 14:04 CET
Agents of SHIELD, I believe, is similar to a regular Buffy season - it starts off with a bunch of standalones, then there is a twist in the middle of the season ("The Bridge" in this case) followed by increasing storyarc episodes and then a full case of Wham Episodes. It was the pattern for Buffy Seasons Two through Seven and it worked out pretty well most of the time. However, like with AoS, a lot of the early Monster of the Week episodes of Buffy could be skipped without anything being lost ("Inca Mummy Girl" anyone?).
alliterator | May 07, 19:00 CET
Anuris | May 08, 10:36 CET